Latest news with #Matildas
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
Matildas' European conquerors inspires new generation in Argentina win
Argentina's women's football team doesn't have their own Leo Messi, yet. And so a group of mostly up-and-coming Matildas defeated the 33rd-ranked Argentinians with ease in their friendly on Friday in Melbourne. In the 2-0 victory a debut goal to forward Kahli Johnson was the centrepiece of a party celebrating the bright prospects for Australian women's football. But departing coach Tom Sermanni has warned the music may not play forever. On top of the concerns he expressed earlier this week on the lack of progress in the A-League Women, on Friday he warned there was now an arms race in women's football and Australia risks losing touch. That a chance of ever winning a World Cup may soon diminish. 'It's actually getting harder because the big countries are investing in women's football,' he said after Friday's game, the 70-year-old once again in a reflective move as he celebrated 150 games in charge of the national team. 'If you go back eight to 10 years, Spain weren't on the radar, England were okay, but they weren't as big as they are now. What's happened is that there's far more investment in the game worldwide. And if South America comes alive, that will make it even tougher.' Argentina have won the men's World Cup three times, and are the current holders. But their women's team has for a long time been ignored and dismissed. As recently as last year, four players abandoned a camp due to poor pay and conditions. The team's coach Germán Portanova said women's football is still only nascent in his country. 'Now it's really just beginning,' he said. 'Up until recently, in Argentina, it was practically frowned upon for girls to play soccer. So we as a society are developing, and in women's football as well.' Sermanni revealed he has had both positive and negative responses to his comments on Thursday that Australia has 'grossly underinvested' in the women's game. He added 'hopefully there'll be a positive reaction out of that'. The veteran coach appears to be talking more freely in the knowledge he will no longer be in the job after the second friendly in Canberra on Tuesday. Joe Montemurro is tipped to succeed him, leaving around eight months before the home Asian Cup campaign. 'While I've got a position where I can influence things, then it's important that I do that,' Sermanni said. 'You've got to keep at the cutting edge, you can't afford to stay still, and you can't afford to go backwards, it's as simple as that,' he said. 'And it's important that we do that with everybody on board and everybody pushing in the right direction, and that's A-League people, FFA [Football Australia] people and club people.' Fortunately, the Matildas' loyal support provides a strong foundation. Just across town on Friday, Melbourne's two best AFL teams Collingwood and Hawthorn were playing. Common sporting logic suggests holding two major events on the same night in the same city cannibalises each crowd. But the turnout on Friday at Marvel was still 43,020, and many of the empty seats were those of AFL-loving stadium club members who declined to attend. Speak to fans, and it is clear many are free of the strictures of the past. A father, Gerry Donovan, was there with his two teenage daughters Alyssa and Zara. Thanks to Ange Postecoglou, the family supports Tottenham – in men's football at least. But in women's the daughters proudly follow Arsenal, Spurs' traditional London rival. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Aged 15, Zara wore a Gunners shirt with Kyra Cooney-Cross's name on the back, and before the game said she would only be 'a little' disappointed if the midfielder didn't play, because she did have a good excuse. 'They have been celebrating all week,' she said. Posts on social media of Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, and Cooney-Cross enjoying the Champions League triumph have been hard to avoid. Few appreciated the European achievement as much as the other Matildas players, who held a surprise welcome party when the trio arrived on Wednesday night. Against Argentina, those players – thanks to Johnson's first-half header and a fortunate cross-cum-shot from winger Kaitlyn Torpey – didn't need their European conquerors on the field. Their presence in camp was felt however, so soon after lifting one of football's greatest prizes. 'Seeing them do that, and them coming back in and being a part of the group, it definitely fills you with a lot of confidence,' Johnson said, beaming after her debut goal. 'And to know that's the calibre of player that Australia can produce is pretty cool.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Matildas' European conquerors inspires new generation in Argentina win
Argentina's women's football team doesn't have their own Leo Messi, yet. And so a group of mostly up-and-coming Matildas defeated the 33rd-ranked Argentinians with ease in their friendly on Friday in Melbourne. In the 2-0 victory a debut goal to forward Kahli Johnson was the centrepiece of a party celebrating the bright prospects for Australian women's football. Related: Kahli Johnson header is fitting marker for Tom Sermanni in Matildas win Advertisement But departing coach Tom Sermanni has warned the music may not play forever. On top of the concerns he expressed earlier this week on the lack of progress in the A-League Women, on Friday he warned there was now an arms race in women's football and Australia risks losing touch. That a chance of ever winning a World Cup may soon diminish. 'It's actually getting harder because the big countries are investing in women's football,' he said after Friday's game, the 70-year-old once again in a reflective move as he celebrated 150 games in charge of the national team. 'If you go back eight to 10 years, Spain weren't on the radar, England were okay, but they weren't as big as they are now. What's happened is that there's far more investment in the game worldwide. And if South America comes alive, that will make it even tougher.' Argentina have won the men's World Cup three times, and are the current holders. But their women's team has for a long time been ignored and dismissed. As recently as last year, four players abandoned a camp due to poor pay and conditions. Advertisement The team's coach Germán Portanova said women's football is still only nascent in his country. 'Now it's really just beginning,' he said. 'Up until recently, in Argentina, it was practically frowned upon for girls to play soccer. So we as a society are developing, and in women's football as well.' Sermanni revealed he has had both positive and negative responses to his comments on Thursday that Australia has 'grossly underinvested' in the women's game. He added 'hopefully there'll be a positive reaction out of that'. The veteran coach appears to be talking more freely in the knowledge he will no longer be in the job after the second friendly in Canberra on Tuesday. Joe Montemurro is tipped to succeed him, leaving around eight months before the home Asian Cup campaign. 'While I've got a position where I can influence things, then it's important that I do that,' Sermanni said. 'You've got to keep at the cutting edge, you can't afford to stay still, and you can't afford to go backwards, it's as simple as that,' he said. 'And it's important that we do that with everybody on board and everybody pushing in the right direction, and that's A-League people, FFA [Football Australia] people and club people.' Advertisement Fortunately, the Matildas' loyal support provides a strong foundation. Just across town on Friday, Melbourne's two best AFL teams Collingwood and Hawthorn were playing. Common sporting logic suggests holding two major events on the same night in the same city cannibalises each crowd. But the turnout on Friday at Marvel was still 43,020, and many of the empty seats were those of AFL-loving stadium club members who declined to attend. Speak to fans, and it is clear many are free of the strictures of the past. A father, Gerry Donovan, was there with his two teenage daughters Alyssa and Zara. Thanks to Ange Postecoglou, the family supports Tottenham – in men's football at least. But in women's the daughters proudly follow Arsenal, Spurs' traditional London rival. Aged 15, Zara wore a Gunners shirt with Kyra Cooney-Cross's name on the back, and before the game said she would only be 'a little' disappointed if the midfielder didn't play, because she did have a good excuse. 'They have been celebrating all week,' she said. Posts on social media of Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, and Cooney-Cross enjoying the Champions League triumph have been hard to avoid. Few appreciated the European achievement as much as the other Matildas players, who held a surprise welcome party when the trio arrived on Wednesday night. Advertisement Against Argentina, those players – thanks to Johnson's first-half header and a fortunate cross-cum-shot from winger Kaitlyn Torpey – didn't need their European conquerors on the field. Their presence in camp was felt however, so soon after lifting one of football's greatest prizes. 'Seeing them do that, and them coming back in and being a part of the group, it definitely fills you with a lot of confidence,' Johnson said, beaming after her debut goal. 'And to know that's the calibre of player that Australia can produce is pretty cool.'
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
The big 'challenge' the Matildas are a step closer to overcoming
Friday night made it clear why Tom Sermanni was brought in to lead the Matildas for a third time, with a fairytale debut giving hope that the team can overcome the biggest challenge of their next chapter. His special skill of bringing in new talent and ensuring they prosper when they make the jump was on full display at Marvel Stadium in Australia's 2-0 victory over Argentina. Since Sermanni took back over in September 2024, nine players have made their debut for the Tillies. The latest was Kahli Johnson, who earned her debut in Melbourne and a starting XI spot in her first national team camp. Her impact was immediate, giving hope of what to expect from the next generation in the green and gold. "It feels great when you see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly then get them on the field and start them," Sermanni said. "It makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played. She fulfilled what I saw of her as a player prior to coming in, but also what she did in training, and she just really took that out onto the field." Below are the five things we learned about the team heading into game two in Canberra, including the return of a key trio. Johnson, who plys her trade in Canada's new league for Calgary, became Matilda no. 237 in front of more than 43,000 fans. The 21-year-old lined up at left wing, and it only took the newest member 38 minutes to etch her name into history as an Australian goalscorer. Charlotte Grant swung the ball into the area and found Johnson's head at the backpost. The Argentinians threw their hands up, but their offside calls fell on deaf ears. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" Johnson asked tongue-in-cheek post-match. "It was surreal. I just wanted to go out there and kind of show what I could do. Playing in a team like this, with these type of players, it gives you that confidence." Sermanni was adamant the Matildas' Champions League-winning trio would feature in game two. The Tillies' head coach confirmed Arsenal stars Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross "should be fit and ready to go" in the Bush Capital on Monday. "I anticipate them starting on Monday. They've had the holiday, they've had a week," Sermanni said with a smile. "We were fortunate ... the game went how we hoped it would go, and that allowed us to utilise other players and give game time to players that haven't had as much. "But Monday, we've got three key Arsenal players, and they'll be - barring any accident or injury - in the starting lineup." The trio was rested in game one after their entry into camp was delayed by their European victory over Barcelona. There was a glaring void in the next chapter of the Matildas' story after the historic Women's World Cup in 2023. The future-proofing of the squad's success was at risk of falling by the wayside due to the aging stars and the dependence on key personnel. Alarm bells began ringing, and a solution was not found under former coach Tony Gustavsson by Paris 2024. Cue Sermanni. More than a decade ago, he was identifying players like Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Emily van Egmond, and Sam Kerr. On Friday, his eagle-eyed skill of spotting the stars of tomorrow was on display again. "It shows what your players can do when they get an opportunity," Sermanni said. "It's one of the challenges in the national team, and I've said this probably numerous times, is to play for the present, but plan for the future, and it's getting that balance right. "It's becoming more and more difficult to do that, because you're limited with the amount of time you get your team together, as opposed to what it was in the past. So it's always a challenge to do that. "But if there's anything that I've noticed over the last nine or 10 months, is that some of those fringe players have started to become more comfortable in the environment, and that's given them more confidence. "And I think that their ability to mix in and not be overawed by bigger players is now more evident, and that helps them perform like we saw tonight with Kahli." Football Australia has not confirmed if Sermanni will remain on beyond this international window, but it is understood a permanent coaching solution is edging closer. It seems likely the two-game series against Argentina will be his last, with Friday's win marking his 150th game in charge across his three stints in the role. "It's been a real privilege for me to be able to come back and do what I have this spell with the Matildas," the interim Tillies coach said. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team and if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had. "When the program started, basically from scratch, then the second time when we went into Asia from Oceania, and then this third time, when the team has just gone to a different level of support and recognition. So for me to come in now is just, it's kind of a wee bit extraordinary." Sermanni was given the task of future-proofing the squad ahead of next year's Asian Cup and beyond, and the 2-0 result made evident he has achieved that. The big question is, who will replace him? FA have remained tight-lipped about their options for the heading coaching role, but the leading candidate remains Lyon coach, Joe Montemurro. Johnson's inclusion in the starting XI helped to unlock the Tillies' front third through her connection with fellow forwards Kaitlyn Torpey and Holly McNamara. The side's movement off the ball and creativity in attack breathed new life into a squad that had struggled to create goalscoring opportunities without their big-name stars. Tottenham fullback Charlotte Grant's partnership with Johnson, Torpey and McNamara proved fruitful in the first half and showed what fans could come to expect from the next generation. Torpey eventually added the Matildas' second in the 69th minute, with a cross-turned-shot effort from out wide catching the Argentinian shotstopper Abigail Chaves by surprise. "If you look particularly at our second-half performance, I think we dominated the game and there were a lot of good passages of play," Sermanni said. "We maybe could have created a couple more better chances, which we didn't do. But generally, I thought, overall, our tempo in the second half was very good. "And when you consider the changes we've made, and when you consider the players that we started and put into the game, that was a very pleasing aspect of the performance." Friday night made it clear why Tom Sermanni was brought in to lead the Matildas for a third time, with a fairytale debut giving hope that the team can overcome the biggest challenge of their next chapter. His special skill of bringing in new talent and ensuring they prosper when they make the jump was on full display at Marvel Stadium in Australia's 2-0 victory over Argentina. Since Sermanni took back over in September 2024, nine players have made their debut for the Tillies. The latest was Kahli Johnson, who earned her debut in Melbourne and a starting XI spot in her first national team camp. Her impact was immediate, giving hope of what to expect from the next generation in the green and gold. "It feels great when you see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly then get them on the field and start them," Sermanni said. "It makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played. She fulfilled what I saw of her as a player prior to coming in, but also what she did in training, and she just really took that out onto the field." Below are the five things we learned about the team heading into game two in Canberra, including the return of a key trio. Johnson, who plys her trade in Canada's new league for Calgary, became Matilda no. 237 in front of more than 43,000 fans. The 21-year-old lined up at left wing, and it only took the newest member 38 minutes to etch her name into history as an Australian goalscorer. Charlotte Grant swung the ball into the area and found Johnson's head at the backpost. The Argentinians threw their hands up, but their offside calls fell on deaf ears. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" Johnson asked tongue-in-cheek post-match. "It was surreal. I just wanted to go out there and kind of show what I could do. Playing in a team like this, with these type of players, it gives you that confidence." Sermanni was adamant the Matildas' Champions League-winning trio would feature in game two. The Tillies' head coach confirmed Arsenal stars Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross "should be fit and ready to go" in the Bush Capital on Monday. "I anticipate them starting on Monday. They've had the holiday, they've had a week," Sermanni said with a smile. "We were fortunate ... the game went how we hoped it would go, and that allowed us to utilise other players and give game time to players that haven't had as much. "But Monday, we've got three key Arsenal players, and they'll be - barring any accident or injury - in the starting lineup." The trio was rested in game one after their entry into camp was delayed by their European victory over Barcelona. There was a glaring void in the next chapter of the Matildas' story after the historic Women's World Cup in 2023. The future-proofing of the squad's success was at risk of falling by the wayside due to the aging stars and the dependence on key personnel. Alarm bells began ringing, and a solution was not found under former coach Tony Gustavsson by Paris 2024. Cue Sermanni. More than a decade ago, he was identifying players like Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Emily van Egmond, and Sam Kerr. On Friday, his eagle-eyed skill of spotting the stars of tomorrow was on display again. "It shows what your players can do when they get an opportunity," Sermanni said. "It's one of the challenges in the national team, and I've said this probably numerous times, is to play for the present, but plan for the future, and it's getting that balance right. "It's becoming more and more difficult to do that, because you're limited with the amount of time you get your team together, as opposed to what it was in the past. So it's always a challenge to do that. "But if there's anything that I've noticed over the last nine or 10 months, is that some of those fringe players have started to become more comfortable in the environment, and that's given them more confidence. "And I think that their ability to mix in and not be overawed by bigger players is now more evident, and that helps them perform like we saw tonight with Kahli." Football Australia has not confirmed if Sermanni will remain on beyond this international window, but it is understood a permanent coaching solution is edging closer. It seems likely the two-game series against Argentina will be his last, with Friday's win marking his 150th game in charge across his three stints in the role. "It's been a real privilege for me to be able to come back and do what I have this spell with the Matildas," the interim Tillies coach said. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team and if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had. "When the program started, basically from scratch, then the second time when we went into Asia from Oceania, and then this third time, when the team has just gone to a different level of support and recognition. So for me to come in now is just, it's kind of a wee bit extraordinary." Sermanni was given the task of future-proofing the squad ahead of next year's Asian Cup and beyond, and the 2-0 result made evident he has achieved that. The big question is, who will replace him? FA have remained tight-lipped about their options for the heading coaching role, but the leading candidate remains Lyon coach, Joe Montemurro. Johnson's inclusion in the starting XI helped to unlock the Tillies' front third through her connection with fellow forwards Kaitlyn Torpey and Holly McNamara. The side's movement off the ball and creativity in attack breathed new life into a squad that had struggled to create goalscoring opportunities without their big-name stars. Tottenham fullback Charlotte Grant's partnership with Johnson, Torpey and McNamara proved fruitful in the first half and showed what fans could come to expect from the next generation. Torpey eventually added the Matildas' second in the 69th minute, with a cross-turned-shot effort from out wide catching the Argentinian shotstopper Abigail Chaves by surprise. "If you look particularly at our second-half performance, I think we dominated the game and there were a lot of good passages of play," Sermanni said. "We maybe could have created a couple more better chances, which we didn't do. But generally, I thought, overall, our tempo in the second half was very good. "And when you consider the changes we've made, and when you consider the players that we started and put into the game, that was a very pleasing aspect of the performance." Friday night made it clear why Tom Sermanni was brought in to lead the Matildas for a third time, with a fairytale debut giving hope that the team can overcome the biggest challenge of their next chapter. His special skill of bringing in new talent and ensuring they prosper when they make the jump was on full display at Marvel Stadium in Australia's 2-0 victory over Argentina. Since Sermanni took back over in September 2024, nine players have made their debut for the Tillies. The latest was Kahli Johnson, who earned her debut in Melbourne and a starting XI spot in her first national team camp. Her impact was immediate, giving hope of what to expect from the next generation in the green and gold. "It feels great when you see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly then get them on the field and start them," Sermanni said. "It makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played. She fulfilled what I saw of her as a player prior to coming in, but also what she did in training, and she just really took that out onto the field." Below are the five things we learned about the team heading into game two in Canberra, including the return of a key trio. Johnson, who plys her trade in Canada's new league for Calgary, became Matilda no. 237 in front of more than 43,000 fans. The 21-year-old lined up at left wing, and it only took the newest member 38 minutes to etch her name into history as an Australian goalscorer. Charlotte Grant swung the ball into the area and found Johnson's head at the backpost. The Argentinians threw their hands up, but their offside calls fell on deaf ears. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" Johnson asked tongue-in-cheek post-match. "It was surreal. I just wanted to go out there and kind of show what I could do. Playing in a team like this, with these type of players, it gives you that confidence." Sermanni was adamant the Matildas' Champions League-winning trio would feature in game two. The Tillies' head coach confirmed Arsenal stars Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross "should be fit and ready to go" in the Bush Capital on Monday. "I anticipate them starting on Monday. They've had the holiday, they've had a week," Sermanni said with a smile. "We were fortunate ... the game went how we hoped it would go, and that allowed us to utilise other players and give game time to players that haven't had as much. "But Monday, we've got three key Arsenal players, and they'll be - barring any accident or injury - in the starting lineup." The trio was rested in game one after their entry into camp was delayed by their European victory over Barcelona. There was a glaring void in the next chapter of the Matildas' story after the historic Women's World Cup in 2023. The future-proofing of the squad's success was at risk of falling by the wayside due to the aging stars and the dependence on key personnel. Alarm bells began ringing, and a solution was not found under former coach Tony Gustavsson by Paris 2024. Cue Sermanni. More than a decade ago, he was identifying players like Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Emily van Egmond, and Sam Kerr. On Friday, his eagle-eyed skill of spotting the stars of tomorrow was on display again. "It shows what your players can do when they get an opportunity," Sermanni said. "It's one of the challenges in the national team, and I've said this probably numerous times, is to play for the present, but plan for the future, and it's getting that balance right. "It's becoming more and more difficult to do that, because you're limited with the amount of time you get your team together, as opposed to what it was in the past. So it's always a challenge to do that. "But if there's anything that I've noticed over the last nine or 10 months, is that some of those fringe players have started to become more comfortable in the environment, and that's given them more confidence. "And I think that their ability to mix in and not be overawed by bigger players is now more evident, and that helps them perform like we saw tonight with Kahli." Football Australia has not confirmed if Sermanni will remain on beyond this international window, but it is understood a permanent coaching solution is edging closer. It seems likely the two-game series against Argentina will be his last, with Friday's win marking his 150th game in charge across his three stints in the role. "It's been a real privilege for me to be able to come back and do what I have this spell with the Matildas," the interim Tillies coach said. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team and if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had. "When the program started, basically from scratch, then the second time when we went into Asia from Oceania, and then this third time, when the team has just gone to a different level of support and recognition. So for me to come in now is just, it's kind of a wee bit extraordinary." Sermanni was given the task of future-proofing the squad ahead of next year's Asian Cup and beyond, and the 2-0 result made evident he has achieved that. The big question is, who will replace him? FA have remained tight-lipped about their options for the heading coaching role, but the leading candidate remains Lyon coach, Joe Montemurro. Johnson's inclusion in the starting XI helped to unlock the Tillies' front third through her connection with fellow forwards Kaitlyn Torpey and Holly McNamara. The side's movement off the ball and creativity in attack breathed new life into a squad that had struggled to create goalscoring opportunities without their big-name stars. Tottenham fullback Charlotte Grant's partnership with Johnson, Torpey and McNamara proved fruitful in the first half and showed what fans could come to expect from the next generation. Torpey eventually added the Matildas' second in the 69th minute, with a cross-turned-shot effort from out wide catching the Argentinian shotstopper Abigail Chaves by surprise. "If you look particularly at our second-half performance, I think we dominated the game and there were a lot of good passages of play," Sermanni said. "We maybe could have created a couple more better chances, which we didn't do. But generally, I thought, overall, our tempo in the second half was very good. "And when you consider the changes we've made, and when you consider the players that we started and put into the game, that was a very pleasing aspect of the performance."
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Debutant's goal helps Matildas past incensed Argentina
Debutant Kahli Johnson has shone as an inexperienced Matildas claimed a 2-0 win over Argentina, who were incensed by the game's refereeing, to ensure Tom Sermanni's 150th game at the helm proved a happy one. Johnson headed home a wonderful cross from Charli Grant in the 38th minute in front of 43,020 fans at Marvel Stadium. Kaitlyn Torpey added a second when she attempted to launch a cross into the area but shanked it and watched on in disbelief as it nestled in the top corner. "It was pretty surreal," she said. "Until that moment, I was kind of just focused on doing my job. I was just like running, get back post, watching the cross from Charli and when it hit the back of the net, it was pretty cool. "Obviously, my celebration. I don't think I believed what happened and I still don't think I have." Replays showed the attacker was offside but there is no VAR in friendlies and Johnson won't care. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" she quipped. Johnson, who had scored three goals in six games for Calgary Wild in Canada's Northern Super League, was among Australia's best, impressing with her deft footwork and strength on the ball. Australia doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Kaitlyn Torpey shanked a cross into the top corner. Interim boss Sermanni, who has coached the Matildas across three stints, appears likely to finish up after Monday night's second game in Canberra. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team," he said. "And if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had." Joe Montemurro is widely expected to take on the full-time job after the current international window. Sermanni has consistently debuted players across his three tenures and relished in Johnson, 21, being the latest success story. "It still feels as good as ever," he said. "It feels great when see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly, then get them on the field and start them and it makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played tonight." In rare post-match scenes after a friendly, Argentina coach German Portanova teed off on the referees, indicating Australia had received the rub of the green from Thai official Pansa Chaisanit. "The first goal is offside," Portanova said through an interpreter. "I know that this was a celebration of the Matildas. But we came here to compete, and we came here looking ahead to the Copa America and wanting to do our best. "But believe me when I say, when it was one against the other, (calls were made) in favour of Australia. "Trying to play with this style of refereeing does make me angry, very angry - when we just see these fouls against us over and over throughout the game, the referee highlighting things that our team has done that just simply haven't happened. "When these are happening and we see once again awarded to the other team, this is where we tend to lose confidence and we're not able to play our game. I honestly think that with a fairer referee, we would be there." Sermanni dismissed the suggestion things had gone Australia's way, bar the offside goal. The Matildas' starting line-up had just 438 combined caps heading into the game - with Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy claiming 293 of them. Captain Steph Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross didn't play after arriving in camp on Wednesday night following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry and Mackenzie Arnold aren't in the current squad. But Australia still had 16 shots (six on target) to six, while Argentina didn't register a shot on target until the 80th minute. Debutant Kahli Johnson has shone as an inexperienced Matildas claimed a 2-0 win over Argentina, who were incensed by the game's refereeing, to ensure Tom Sermanni's 150th game at the helm proved a happy one. Johnson headed home a wonderful cross from Charli Grant in the 38th minute in front of 43,020 fans at Marvel Stadium. Kaitlyn Torpey added a second when she attempted to launch a cross into the area but shanked it and watched on in disbelief as it nestled in the top corner. "It was pretty surreal," she said. "Until that moment, I was kind of just focused on doing my job. I was just like running, get back post, watching the cross from Charli and when it hit the back of the net, it was pretty cool. "Obviously, my celebration. I don't think I believed what happened and I still don't think I have." Replays showed the attacker was offside but there is no VAR in friendlies and Johnson won't care. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" she quipped. Johnson, who had scored three goals in six games for Calgary Wild in Canada's Northern Super League, was among Australia's best, impressing with her deft footwork and strength on the ball. Australia doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Kaitlyn Torpey shanked a cross into the top corner. Interim boss Sermanni, who has coached the Matildas across three stints, appears likely to finish up after Monday night's second game in Canberra. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team," he said. "And if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had." Joe Montemurro is widely expected to take on the full-time job after the current international window. Sermanni has consistently debuted players across his three tenures and relished in Johnson, 21, being the latest success story. "It still feels as good as ever," he said. "It feels great when see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly, then get them on the field and start them and it makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played tonight." In rare post-match scenes after a friendly, Argentina coach German Portanova teed off on the referees, indicating Australia had received the rub of the green from Thai official Pansa Chaisanit. "The first goal is offside," Portanova said through an interpreter. "I know that this was a celebration of the Matildas. But we came here to compete, and we came here looking ahead to the Copa America and wanting to do our best. "But believe me when I say, when it was one against the other, (calls were made) in favour of Australia. "Trying to play with this style of refereeing does make me angry, very angry - when we just see these fouls against us over and over throughout the game, the referee highlighting things that our team has done that just simply haven't happened. "When these are happening and we see once again awarded to the other team, this is where we tend to lose confidence and we're not able to play our game. I honestly think that with a fairer referee, we would be there." Sermanni dismissed the suggestion things had gone Australia's way, bar the offside goal. The Matildas' starting line-up had just 438 combined caps heading into the game - with Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy claiming 293 of them. Captain Steph Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross didn't play after arriving in camp on Wednesday night following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry and Mackenzie Arnold aren't in the current squad. But Australia still had 16 shots (six on target) to six, while Argentina didn't register a shot on target until the 80th minute. Debutant Kahli Johnson has shone as an inexperienced Matildas claimed a 2-0 win over Argentina, who were incensed by the game's refereeing, to ensure Tom Sermanni's 150th game at the helm proved a happy one. Johnson headed home a wonderful cross from Charli Grant in the 38th minute in front of 43,020 fans at Marvel Stadium. Kaitlyn Torpey added a second when she attempted to launch a cross into the area but shanked it and watched on in disbelief as it nestled in the top corner. "It was pretty surreal," she said. "Until that moment, I was kind of just focused on doing my job. I was just like running, get back post, watching the cross from Charli and when it hit the back of the net, it was pretty cool. "Obviously, my celebration. I don't think I believed what happened and I still don't think I have." Replays showed the attacker was offside but there is no VAR in friendlies and Johnson won't care. "I mean, if it doesn't get called, is it offside?" she quipped. Johnson, who had scored three goals in six games for Calgary Wild in Canada's Northern Super League, was among Australia's best, impressing with her deft footwork and strength on the ball. Australia doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Kaitlyn Torpey shanked a cross into the top corner. Interim boss Sermanni, who has coached the Matildas across three stints, appears likely to finish up after Monday night's second game in Canberra. "I've been extraordinarily lucky. I've had three spells with the team," he said. "And if you could pick three spells to have, I would have picked the three that I had." Joe Montemurro is widely expected to take on the full-time job after the current international window. Sermanni has consistently debuted players across his three tenures and relished in Johnson, 21, being the latest success story. "It still feels as good as ever," he said. "It feels great when see a young player coming into the team and you can get them on the field, and particularly, then get them on the field and start them and it makes it even better when you see how well Kahli played tonight." In rare post-match scenes after a friendly, Argentina coach German Portanova teed off on the referees, indicating Australia had received the rub of the green from Thai official Pansa Chaisanit. "The first goal is offside," Portanova said through an interpreter. "I know that this was a celebration of the Matildas. But we came here to compete, and we came here looking ahead to the Copa America and wanting to do our best. "But believe me when I say, when it was one against the other, (calls were made) in favour of Australia. "Trying to play with this style of refereeing does make me angry, very angry - when we just see these fouls against us over and over throughout the game, the referee highlighting things that our team has done that just simply haven't happened. "When these are happening and we see once again awarded to the other team, this is where we tend to lose confidence and we're not able to play our game. I honestly think that with a fairer referee, we would be there." Sermanni dismissed the suggestion things had gone Australia's way, bar the offside goal. The Matildas' starting line-up had just 438 combined caps heading into the game - with Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy claiming 293 of them. Captain Steph Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross didn't play after arriving in camp on Wednesday night following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry and Mackenzie Arnold aren't in the current squad. But Australia still had 16 shots (six on target) to six, while Argentina didn't register a shot on target until the 80th minute.
7NEWS
5 hours ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
New Matildas star Kahli Johnson scores on debut in win over Argentina
Debutant Kahli Johnson has shone as an inexperienced Matildas line-up claimed a 2-0 win over Argentina to ensure Tom Sermanni's 150th game at the helm proved a happy one. Johnson headed home a wonderful cross from Charli Grant in the 38th minute in front of 43,020 fans at Marvel Stadium, and won't care that she appeared clearly offside. Australia doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Kaitlyn Torpey shanked a cross into the top corner. Interim boss Sermanni, who has coached the Matildas across three stints, appears likely to finish up after Monday night's second game in Canberra. Joe Montemurro is widely expected to take on the full-time job after the current international window. The Matildas' starting line-up had just 438 combined caps heading into the game - with Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kennedy claiming 293 of them. Captain Steph Catley and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross didn't play after arriving in camp on Wednesday night following their Women's Champions League triumph. Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry and Mackenzie Arnold aren't in the current squad, while Mary Fowler remains sidelined with a knee injury. But Australia still had 16 shots (six on target) to six, while Argentina didn't register a shot on target until the 80th minute. Johnson, who had scored three goals in six games for Calgary Wild in Canada's Northern Super League, was among Australia's best, impressing with her deft footwork and strength on the ball. Six minutes into the match, Johnson burst down the left and cut the ball inside for Holly McNamara, who couldn't keep her shot down. Another six minutes later, McNamara latched onto a cross from Charli Grant but couldn't turn her volley on target. In the 15th minute, Florencia Bonsegunda cracked a long-range strike over the bar - which would prove Argentina's only shot for the half. The Matildas struck in the 38th minute when Grant burst down the right flank and curled a superb cross to the back post for Johnson to head home. Replays showed the attacker was offside but there is no VAR in friendlies. Johnson turned her defender then whipped a long-range effort just wide in the 49th minute. McNamara couldn't keep a speculative shot down in the 61st, while she forced Argentina goalkeeper Chaves into a save four minutes later. Torpey scored when she attempted to launch a cross into the area but didn't hit it cleanly, and watched on in disbelief as it nestled in the goal. Chaves made a good save to deny Wheeler at the near post in the 72nd minute and the Matildas couldn't find a third goal.
